Datsun, at this point it is anyone's guess whether those two "beams" were ever supposed to be the same height. "I still have several issues with the current compression post design," But I have seen Bob Perry's original drawings for the boat, and it was designed to have the mast either supported by a simple vertical compression post, or keel-stepped.

Apparently someone at Islander "had a better idea" and used this zany scheme to open up the interior and give the boat a palatial cabin. One might seriously consider throwing out some scrap wood and metal, and installing a simple vertical post, and just telling folks to exhale and squeeze by if they want to go forward of it.